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Greenhouse gases: how can solar energy reduce CO2?

What are Greenhouse gases?

Earth receives almost all of its energy from the sun in the form of ultraviolet rays and or infrared rays. Around 50% of the energy contained in those rays is absorbed by gases and the rest is reflected back to the clouds.

The gases that absorb energy are commonly known as Greenhouse Gases. One of their major roles is to maintain the eco-system by keeping the earth`s temperature at a roughly constant level.

In this article we discuss how solar energy can help to reduce greenhouse gases.

What’s in a name?

Typically, Greenhouses are glass type structures that are used to grow plants in areas with cold temperatures.

These glass structures absorb and trap the sunlight.

Trapped sunlight results in an increase in temperature, leading to proper growth of plants. These gases also work in the exact same way: they keep the earth warm and at a constant level, capable of sustaining life.

This is where the name Greenhouse gas comes from.

Greenhouse gases play an important role in maintaining the earth’s temperature. They also safeguard the earth from the extreme heat of the sun, which if unchecked, could potentially burn down the earth.

Greenhouse gases

Primary Greenhouse gases and their Contribution

The primary greenhouse gases present in the earth`s atmosphere are:

Water Vapor (H2O)

Carbon dioxide (CO2)

Methane (CH4)

Nitrous Oxide (N2O)

Ozone (O3)

CFC (chloro fluoro carbons).

Water Vapor contributes to about 36 – 72% of the greenhouse gases, Carbon dioxide contributes to around 10 – 25%, Methane to around 5 – 10% and Ozone contributes to around 3 – 7% of the greenhouse gases.

Sources of Greenhouse Gases

Following are the primary sources for Greenhouse gasses emission in the atmosphere.